Elder Advocates Of Alberta Society

Thief With Criminal Record And No Training, Hired By Three Nursing Homes

Home > Theft Issues > Thief With Criminal Record And No Training, Hired By Three Nursing Homes

Sanjeeta Gill, a 21 year old woman who stole cheques and credit cards from the elderly in three Edmonton, Alberta area nursing homes was sentenced to two years in prison on December 15/04.

Gill, while on probation, forged $14,000.00 in cheques that she took from the rooms of two seniors aged 93 and 99, at the Devonshire Care Centre in October 2003. In December of 2003, while working at a seniors home run by the Shepherds Care Foundation, she stole two credit cards from the rooms of two seniors.

Gill was sentenced to serve two years probation after her sentence and pay back the money. She was also prohibited from working again in similar care facilities.

Gills criminal record included nine previous convictions, five crimes of dishonesty and four failures to comply with the directions of the court. She also breached a conditional order.

In May 2003, she had received a suspended sentence and probation for one year after being caught with seven credit cards from elderly residents and co-workers of Garneau Hall Seniors Centre.

Court heard that Gill had left home at 16 after rebelling against her father who did not approve of her boyfriend. Her mother also had problems with her, calling her a compulsive liar.

On January 17, 2005, the Elder Advocates of Alberta Society made a complaint to the Protection For Persons In Care Act abuse line against the Shepherds Care Foundation and CEO, Mr. John Pray

Our complaint was that the Shepherds Care Foundation and CEO, Mr. John Pray gave employment to Sanjeeta Gill, (a convicted thief) failing to require a criminal records check in breach of the Protection For Persons in Care Act Section 5 (1) & (2):

Section 5(1) Every agency has a duty to protect the clients it serves from abuse and to maintain a reasonable level of safety for its clients.

Section 5(3) Every agency must require that every successful applicant for employment and every new volunteer provide a criminal records check.

The complaint was dismissed by the Director of Protection For Persons in Care, Edith Baraniecki RN, who stated in correspondence of January 25/05:

“We do not have jurisdiction to investigate allegations that a facility failed to require an employee to provide a criminal record check”

It should be noted:

Because of the seriously flawed, ineffective, unenforceable, deceptive nature of the Protection For Persons in Care Act, no elder care facilities were held accountable.

Despite her troubled background and no training whatsoever, Gill was hired as a caregiver in three homes for vulnerable elderly who require medical attention,

Sanjeeta Gill was cited to be in the Edmonton Area (out of prison) in March and May of 2005. We were also alerted to her early release by a member of her extended family.